Owning a Business is Like an Exotic Vacation – Part 1

This week, I’ve done some things that I never imagined I would have. I’ve been involved in some live videos (called HOAs) on Google +, and I’ve been challenged to think about what I’m really trying to build in my business and why. And while I don’t have the answers to all these questions yet, I’m feeling pretty good about how this week has gone.

But the awesome things that I’ve experienced this week wouldn’t have been possible if I had followed my initial plan, if I had been so focused on the way I thought I should do things that I missed the forest for the trees.

Current wisdom seems to be that building a business has to be painful, difficult, all struggle until you finally reach that “pot of gold” at the end of your rainbow. That if you do everything “right”, success will follow.

But more and more, I see building my business as a process that can be challenging but enjoyable, exhausting but exhilarating at the same time…kind of like an exotic vacation!

Business ownership like a vacation? How is that possible?

Imagine that you’re planning to visit somewhere that you’ve always dreamed of going…to get there, you need to remember:

Every vacation requires research, planning and budgeting – you can’t wait until you get there to reserve hotels, get train tickets, and ensure that you’ve got enough local currency.

You won’t have time to do everything, so you’ll need to choose your opportunities wisely – is it better to stand in line for 5 hours waiting to see the Mona Lisa, or could you see the entire Louvre in that time?

The locals won’t necessarily speak your language, so you’ll have to find a way to communicate with them in order to survive.

Fellow travelers can be both a blessing and a curse – it’s nice to see someone “like you”, but generally they’re all going to the same place!

You have to keep a close eye on everything (bus schedules, your bags, your $$, locals and other tourists) once you get started.

There’s a tendency to have high expectations at the beginning, but constant change can be wearying – you’ll have to remind yourself what your initial vision was from time to time.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to make the most of it – you get out what you put in!

My ideal vacation is nothing like your ideal vacation…The only way to really enjoy a vacation is to make sure that it fits the person traveling, regardless of where other people are going (or have been).

Lastly, if you stay open to new experiences, you meet some of the nicest people along the way, and discover that the detours could be the best part of the trip.

Not clear about to how these things apply to your business? We’ll revisit that next week!

A huge thank you to Chris, Meagan and Tracy (and Roy, too!) – I really appreciate you all making this week a period of amazing growth for me

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2 Comments

Great article Stephanie! I couldn’t agree more. I’d also add this journey, like exotic travel is changing and growing me in ways I never could have imagined at the start. (although maybe that’s a spoiler for part 2)

Thanks so much, Judy! I’m glad this resonated with you – and reassured that I’m not the only one with this “unique” perspective about my business! Your insight about how the journey changes us is spot on, and something that I look forward to exploring in future discussions.

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Business can be risky. And while I love using my experiences, and the experiences of countless other entrepreneurs I know, have worked with and have swapped war stories with, that risk is still there for every business owner. So I'll give you my best advice, but it doesn’t come with any guarantees. You get that, right? Cool. Oh, and if you need professional help, consider hiring a financial advisor, lawyer, or tax expert. Depending on what type of suit you're looking for... All Rights Reserved 2013-2015 Stephanie Sims